A Bachelor’s Degree is widely considered the minimum education requirement for an accountant. This degree prepares students for entry- and mid- level positions. A Master’s Degree in an accounting related discipline is often required for senior roles. The Master of Accounting and the Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in accounting are quite common in the field. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accredits accounting degree programs which meet specific standards of curricula, faculty, and general resources.

Bachelor’s programs in accounting focus on accounting principles, finance, management, economics, statistics, taxation and auditing, and ethics. They also cover accounting systems, databases, and software. Successful completion of an internship is often a prerequisite for graduation.

In the U.S., many accountants become licensed as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). This credential is mandatory for accountants whose jobs involve filing reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Licensing regulations vary from state to state, but every jurisdiction’s Board of Accountancy requires CPA candidates to pass the Uniform CPA Examination.

It is important for students considering this profession to know that accountants who are not CPAs (or ‘CAs/Chartered Accountants,’ as they are known in many other countries) can perform certain limited tasks, such as the preparation of financial statements and tax returns (if they have fulfilled IRS requirements). They are not permitted to conduct audits or review financial statements.

While the CPA is the preeminent credential for accountants in the United States, other voluntary certifications are administered by such industry associations as the Institute of Management Accountants and the Institute of Internal Auditors.

How long does it take to become an Accountant?

To qualify for most entry-level jobs, accountants must possess a Bachelor’s Degree, which usually takes four years to complete. After about two years in an entry-level position, accountants generally have sufficient experience to pursue their Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license.

Some colleges offer a five-year undergraduate CPA program that prepares students for both entry-level employment and the Uniform CPA Exam.

Steps to becoming an Accountant

The path to becoming an accountant often starts with showing interest in math and accounting in high school. It continues with earning a Bachelor’s Degree in accounting and in most cases with pursuing professional certification.

1 High School

High school level math and accounting courses can lay the foundation for a career in this field.

2 Bachelor’s Degree

While Associate’s Degrees in accounting are offered, the minimum educational requirement to enter the field is increasingly a Bachelor’s Degree.

The vast majority of staff accounting positions require a Bachelor’s Degree, typically offered as a Bachelor of Science. Graduates from programs at this level come away with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the business cycle and accounting principles. Courses typically include the following:

Preparing Federal Income Tax ReturnsFocus
Introduction to the structure of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for both personal and business tax filingTarget Skills
• How to complete individual and business/organizational tax returns
• Understanding and interpreting tax laws
• Maintaining ethical tax records

Cost AccountingFocus
The importance of internal reporting and how cost accounting influences decision-making within organizations; study of commonly used costing systemsTarget Skills
• Implementing best practices in recording, coding, and reporting cost data
• Analyzing cost behavior and using this data to make informed business decisions
• Advanced budgeting

Many accredited programs incorporate an internship that allows students to gain on-the-job training before graduation.

3 Graduate Education / Work Experience / CPA Certification

To be eligible to sit for the Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam students must typically complete a certain number of credit hours of coursework at the graduate level and/or gain at least two years of work experience under the supervision of a licensed CPA.

Information Systems ControlFocus
Manual and computerized accounting; nuanced data analysis techniques and security measuresTarget Skills
• Ability to implement security and cost management control systems
• Understanding how these systems vary based on different business models

Tax StrategyFocus
How to recognize opportunities in tax planning; how to make calculated and ethical business decisions when developing tax strategiesTarget Skills
• Up-to-date knowledge of federal tax system regulations
• Mastery of online research software and research techniques for tax preparation
• Advanced understanding of investment models
• Tax arbitrage and implicit taxes

5 Specialization

6 Continuing Education / Resources

Most U.S. states mandate that CPAs complete continuing education coursework to maintain their certification. The American Institutes of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) offer various competency and learning opportunities, as well as specialized credentials and designations, such as Personal Financial Specialist (PFS), Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV), and Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP).

Accountants and CPAs may also opt to pursue additional credentials, which may help them stand out in the job market. These include:

Should I become an Accountant?

The bean counter stereotype that once characterized the accounting industry is no more. While fluency in the language of numbers is valued in a career focused on finances, the contemporary accountant and CPA need to excel at more than just math. Those that thrive in the field also have advanced interpersonal and communications abilities and organizational skills. They are detail-oriented and able to analyze and synthesize large amounts of data – qualities that are key for professionals tasked with analyzing and translating complex fiscal information, maintaining impeccable accounting records, and preserving financial stability to avoid potential legal repercussions. People who pursue this occupation generally have an investigative mindset; they enjoy digging for the source of an accounting discrepancy and feel rewarded when they resolve such mysteries. They have an aptitude for technology and typically appreciate a structured work environment that offers a considerable degree of predictability.

What are Accountants like?

Enterprising

Based on our pool of users, Accountants tend to be predominately enterprising people. Next on their interest archetype scale are ‘conventional’ and ‘investigative.’ These three characteristics align perfectly with the work that accounts do. Accountants must understand how businesses and enterprises work. They must abide by the conventions and regulations of financial reporting. And they must consistently use their analytical skills to investigate budgets and accounting discrepancies.

Accountants by Strongest Interest Archetype

Based on sample of 5865 CareerExplorer users

Are Accountants happy?

7thpercentile

Accountants rank among the least happy careers. Overall they rank in the 7th percentile of careers for satisfaction scores. Please note that this number is derived from the data we have collected from our Sokanu members only.

While this strikingly low happiness metric among accountants may not be simple to categorically explain, some aspects of the work do paint a picture of long hours and high pressure, brought on by the exhaustive and potentially overwhelming responsibility of preparing and examining other people’s and corporations’ financial records.

Accountant Career Satisfaction by Dimension

Percentile among all careers

Education History of Accountants

The most common degree held by Accountants is Accounting.
39% of Accountants had a degree in Accounting before becoming Accountants. That is over 21 times the average across all careers.
Business Management And Administration graduates are the second most common among Accountants, representing 18% of Accountants in the CareerExplorer user base, which is 2.7 times the average.

Accountant Education History

This table shows which degrees people earn before becoming an Accountant, compared to how often those degrees are obtained by people who earn at least one post secondary degree.

Financial reports provide vital information to investors, lenders, and managers. Yet, the financial statements in a financial report seem to be written in a foreign language that only accountants can understand. This new Eighth Edition of How to Read a Financial Report breaks through that language barrier, clears away the fog, and offers a plain-English user's guide to financial reports.

Professional career guide from the Vault Career Library - from a look at the types of accounting, including tax and audit, to the types of accounting careers, including the Big Four accounting firms, and government work.